The Fourth Apprentice/Chapter 25
Chapter description :The daylight grows stronger as the cats head back through the woods, following the stream. Dovepaw feels as though her paws won't carry her another step, and wishes she were back in her nest. The rain eases some, and the cats' fur begins to dry in clumps. Whitetail mutters that when she gets back, she's going to groom herself like never before. :Toadfoot suddenly halts and announces that he can smell the ShadowClan border markers.The cats pick up speed and cross the border, and Dovepaw thinks that this journey has forever changed the way they view the other Clans. Soon, Dovepaw picks up ShadowClan scent, and a patrol made up of Tawnypelt, Starlingpaw, Owlclaw, and Redwillow appears. Tawnypelt excitedly greets Tigerheart and Toadfoot, exclaiming they they're safe. Dovepaw shivers and imagines how the meeting would have been different if Tigerheart, Tawnypelt's son, had not been there. Tawnypelt draws back and proclaims that it's wonderful they brought the water back, then tells Starlingpaw to let Blackstar know right away. Tawnypelt urges the group to come back to the ShadowClan camp and tell them everything. Dovepaw exchanges a glance with Lionblaze; she wants to be back in the ThunderClan camp, but doesn't want to leave the rest of the patrol. Whitetail and Sedgewhisker whisper together for a heartbeat before agreeing to Tawnypelt's invitation. Lionblaze agrees as well, and although Petalfur seems reluctant, she follows the others as they are escorted by Tawnypelt's patrol. :When the cats enter the ShadowClan camp, Blackstar welcomes them and tells them to take their pick of the fresh-kill pile. Flametail and Dawnpelt dash up to touch noses with their littermate, Tigerheart. Dovepaw feels as if she doesn't deserve praise, as they lost Rippletail and they had to get help from a loner and a kittypet. Petalfur apologizes to Blackstar and says that she has to get back to RiverClan to tell them about her lost Clanmate. Lionblaze then says that he needs to go as well, and Whitetail and Sedgewhisker agree to go with him. Dovepaw feels a pang of sorrow as she says goodbye to Tigerheart and Toadfoot, but thinks that the two toms already seem different from the cats she'd known on the journey now that they are here among their Clanmates. Tigerheart bounds up to Dovepaw and says that he'll miss her, and Dovepaw replies that she'll miss him too. Toadfoot beckons Tigerheart back to his Clanmates, and Tigerheart pulls away from Dovepaw. :Lionblaze leads the cats along the bank of the stream until they reach the lake. Dovepaw half expects the lake to be full to the brink, but the water's edge is still far away. The cats cross the stream into ThunderClan territory. Lionblaze and Dovepaw say goodbye to the WindClan cats, and watch them trek to the edge of the lake for a couple heartbeats. :The ThunderClan cats then scramble up the shore, but before they have taken more than a couple paw steps into the trees, Sandstorm, Foxleap, Icecloud and Toadstep appear carrying dripping bundles of moss. Sandstorm tells them to give Dovepaw and Lionblaze some space, then tells Foxleap to alert Firestar of their return. Dovepaw and Lionblaze follow the ThunderClan patrol to the hollow, and by the time they reach the thorn barrier, cats are spilling out through the tunnel. Firestar comes to the front and congratulates Dovepaw and Lionblaze, leading them into camp at the head of the crowd of ThunderClan cats. Cloudtail takes a huge rabbit off the fresh-kill pile and drops it at their feet. Lionblaze thanks him, but says that they need to report to Firestar first. The rest of the ThunderClan cats bombard Lionblaze and Dovepaw with questions, and the apprentice shoves her way through the gathered cats until she reaches her sister Ivypaw. :Dovepaw tells Ivypaw that she missed her, and the silver-and-white she-cat replies that she was afraid she wouldn't. Dovepaw says that she thought of Ivypaw all the time. Dovepaw turns to see Lionblaze standing with Firestar and Brambleclaw, and Lionblaze tells her that they need to make their report. As Dovepaw approaches Lionblaze, she glances back to see Jayfeather approaching from the direction of his den. She gasps in shock as she sees that Jayfeather looks moons older since they last saw him, his eyes haunted and a fresh scar down his side. He welcomes them back, and Dovepaw wonders what happened to him while they were away. Dovepaw sees her own shock reflected in Lionblaze's eyes, and as she follows Jayfeather toward the Clan leader, she promises Ivypaw that they'll talk later. :When Lionblaze and Dovepaw finish their report, Firestar expresses grief over the loss of Rippletail. Firestar tells the Clan that they can ask Lionblaze and Dovepaw questions later, as they need to rest. Dovepaw heads into the apprentice's den, where Briarpaw tells her that they've made her nest extra comfortable. Dovepaw thanks her, and Bumblepaw and Blossompaw say she deserves it. The three apprentices then leave Dovepaw to rest. :Dovepaw is in her nest, but unable to sleep. She and her sister go for a walk in the forest, and Dovepaw thinks that, because of her, the Clans aren't dying of thirst, and that maybe her powers aren't so bad if she can use them to help others. The two she-cats reach the bank and look out onto the water. Dovepaw asks Ivypaw if the edge of the water looks closer, and Ivypaw agrees that it does. Dovepaw takes a step forward and feels a sharp pain in her pad. She looks down to see the jagged edge of a stick marked with claw-marks sticking up out of the mud. Ivypaw asks if she's okay, and Dovepaw says she's fine. Dovepaw and Ivypaw stand together with their pelts touching, and Ivypaw twines her tail with Dovepaw's and purrs. She says that she's glad Dovepaw is back, and Dovepaw replies that she'll never leave her sister behind again. Characters Major *Lionblaze *Ivypaw *Firestar *Jayfeather }} Minor *Sedgewhisker *Toadfoot *Tawnypelt *Blackstar *Starlingpaw *Tigerheart *Foxleap *Icecloud *Toadstep *Blossompaw *Bumblepaw *Briarpaw *Purdy *Dustpelt }} Mentioned *Redwillow *Poppyfrost *Daisy *Ferncloud *Mousefur *Longtail *Brambleclaw }} Notes and references Category:The Fourth Apprentice Category:Chapter subpages Category:Omen of the Stars arc